Thread processing reel having means for engaging the convolutions of a thread wound thereon



July 21, 1953 KULJIAN 2,645,919

THREAD PROCESSING REEL HAVING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE CONVOLUTIONS OF A EON Filed Jan. 17, 1951 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 THREAD WOUND THER y 1953 H. A. KULJIAN THREAD PROCESSING REEL HAVING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE CONVOLUTIONS OF A THREAD WOUND THEREON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 17, 1951 July 1, 1953 H. A. KULJIAN 2,645,919

THREAD PROCESSING REEL HAVING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE CONVOLUTIONS OF A THREAD WOUND THEREON Filed Jan. 17, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet s I I I I V EN TOR. i U 4 HZ 7km 4fi0% Patented July 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE THREAD PROCESSING REEL HAVING MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE ooN-voLu'rloNs OF. A THREAD WOUND THEREON Harry A. Kuljian, Merlon, Pa. Application January 17, 1951, Serial No. 206,402

Claims. (ores-205i passes through various zones in its movement'- axially of the reel. The movement of the thread axially of the reel, together withthe surface tension of the various liquids, causes the liquid delivered to one zone of treatment to :creep into an adjacent zone. Thisintermingling of the varhus liquids reduces the effectiveness thereof. For example, if water should creep into a zone in which the thread is to be treated with sulphuricaci-rfi of a given concentration, the acid will be diluted by the water, and, ifsome of the acid should creep into a zone in which an alkali solution is to be used, the alkali solution will be at least partly neutralized or contaminated and so on.

It is therefore a further object of the invention to produce an improved apparatus whereby the intermingling of the various liquids is minimized.

Also, the thread moves axially of the reel in I the form of a helix having a large number of closely spaced convolutions and, because of variations in tensions, wetness, texture, etc. there is a tendency for one convolution or another to lag. and thus cause the filament convolutions to form bands or bundles which must be separated if the process is to be carried out successfully.

It is therefore a further object of the invention to produce an improved apparatus whereby the tendency of the thread convolutions to form bundles is eliminated or reduced.

The various treating liquids, such as acid and alkali solutions are rather expensive and are used in relatively largequantities. Also, in order to insure adequate treatment of the thread these liquids are supplied inexcessive quantities and if the excess liquids can be collected separately and in relatively high concentration, the cost of operation can be materially reduced;

It is therefore a still further object of the invention to produce improved means whereby the various, partly spent, liquids may be collected separately for reclamation and re-use. I

These and other objects are attained by my invention as set forth in the following specification and as shown in the accompanying drawings in which: 1

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of a threadstoring and advancing reel embodying my invention, certain parts being broken away for clarity of illustration and with the comb bar of Fig. 5 in the last operative position thereof.

- carries an end plate or housing Id.

hand ends of therolls Rl-R3 are journalled in Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional taken view'on line 22 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa top plan view of a tray for collecting the different liquids separately. 7 v i Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 on Fig. 3. I

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a comb bar which serves to keep the thread convolutions separate and to remove excess liquids from the thread convolutions at the point at which the thread convolution passes from one zone to the other. A Q

Fig. 6 is sectional view taken'on lines 5-45 on Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a sideelevational view of theportion of the bar of Fig. 5 which is bracketedby lines !I on Fig. 5 after said bar has been rotated through an angle of degrees. I

Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. 7 except that the bar has been turned through an angle of degrees from the position of Fig. 5. q Figs. 9 and 10 are, enlarged, fragmentary sectional views showing the mounting and manner of number of rolls RI, R2, R3,'R.4, R5, R5, R! and R8 which are arranged in a circle about a center post l0,,as shown in Fig. 2, it being understood that the exact number of rolls used is immaterial to the present invention.

The left hand end of center post l0, as shown I in Fig. 1, is mounted in a support l2 which also self-aligning bearings, not. shown, which are carried in end plate I4. The shafts of the rolls are provided withspur gears I6 which mesh with an internal planetary gear l8. The planetary gear I8 is driven by a gear not shown, on shaft 22 of motor M and serves to cause all of the rolls Rl to R8 to rotate'atthe same speed and in the same direction. The right-hand ends of the rolls are *journalled in self-aligning bearings, in an' The housing,

opposite housing or end plate 26. 26 is secured to the adjacent end of post I0 by any suitable means such as nut ZBadapted to engage a stud or the like 29. When the nut 28 of a helix circumscribing the rolls, toward the right hand end of the reel. The play in the assembly of the rolls is enough to permit rotation of the end plate 26, sufficiently to cause the de-- sired skewing of the rolls. a v

The preformed thread to be treated may be suitably delivered to the left hand end of the The left reel or a viscose solution may be pumped, through pipes 32 and 34 and through spinnerette 36 into a coagulating bath 38 to form a nascent filament or thread 40. The thread 40 is passed over godets 44 and 46 before it is wound about the reel.

As the thread moves axially of the reel, it

passes under a series of spaced nozzle NI, N2,

N3, N4, N5, N6, N1, N8 and N9 which are adapted to deliver different liquids, such as water, acid solutions, alkali solutions, soap emulsions, and the like, to successively spaced zones on the reel. The nozzles NI to N9 are placed above the reel, as for example, directly above, roll RI. The liquids used are calculated to complete the regeneration of the extruded filament as well as to impart thereto the desired finish. In practice, for example, dilute sulphuric acid will be supplied through nozzle NI, warm water through nozzle N2, sodium carbonate through nozzle N3, sodium sulfide through nozzle N5, and so on including soap emulsions and additional warm water washings.

In order to insure adequate treatment, all of the liquids mentioned are supplied in excessive quantities and, in order to recover them separately, as much as possible, I provide a trough 50 which is divided by partitions 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 51, 58 and 59, into compartments which register with the various zones on roll RI to which various liquid are applied. In practice, the trough 50 is placed below, and is wide enough to receive liquids from rolls RI and R8. The upper edges of partitions 52 to 59 are tapered and slanted in one direction or the other, as at 60, so that, when a drop of liquid, D, falls, from a point near the junction of any two zones, on the slanting face 60 of one of the partitions, such drop will be directed into the compartment toward which the face 60 slants. The various compartments in trough 60 are provided with drains 60A through which liquids from the different compartments are delivered to points of disposal or of reclamation, not shown.

In order to minimize the tendency of the various liquids to intermingle, and in order to minimize the tendency of the thread convolutions to bundle, I provide the comb bar of Figs. 5 to 8. This comb bar is located within the path of movement of the thread and is preferably just below roll R8, as best shown in Fig. 2. As will be seen from Figs. 5 to 8, the comb bar includes a tube 6| made of a material capable of resisting acids or other corrosive chemicals and into the ends of which plugs 62 are driven. The comb bar is provided with nine axially aligned pins 63, 64, 65, 66, 61, 60, 69, I0 and II, which are suitably spaced and which, when the bar is in the position of Fig. 1, will project between the thread convolutions and will also be in vertical alignment with the central portion more or less, of the slanted faces 60 of the partitions 52' to 59. The comb bar is also provided with six spaced, axially aligning pins I2, 13, 14, I5, 16 and H which are at right angles to the pins 63 to II and with three, spaced, axially aligning pins 8|, 82 and 83 which are at right angles to pins 12 to II and form an angle of 180 degrees with pins 63 to II. The comb bar is also provided with a surface S which is free of any pins.

Before the lacing of the filament on the reel is begun, the comb bar is turned so that the plain surface S thereof will face the convolutions of the thread. In other words, the helical path of the convolutions will be unobstructed.

When the filament has been wound about the receiving end of the reel and when the helix formed by the filament reaches a point below, or slightly to the right of, nozzle N3, the comb bar is turned through an angle of degree so as to cause pins 8|, 82 and 83 to project between the filament convolutions; when the filament has moved to a point below or to the right of nozzle N6, the bar is turned, through another angle of 90 degrees, so as to cause pins I2 to I1 to project between the convolutions of the thread and, when the filament has moved across the reel to a point below or to the right of nozzle N9, the bar is rotated through a further angle of 90 degrees to a position so as to cause pins 63 to II to project between the thread convolutions.

By this arrangement all the pins on the comb bar will be out of the way during the initial lacing, or winding, of the thread about the reel and they can be brought into action progressively as the lacing of the thread progresses on the reel.

The bar may be mounted and rotated in any suitable manner but, according to the present invention, the left hand end of the bar, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 5 is provided with a reduced portion 86 which is journalled for rotation in end plate I4 and the right hand end of the bar is provided with a reduced end portion 88 which is journalled for rotation in end plate 26. In advance of the reduced end portion 88, the bar is provided with a gear 90 and a collar 9| having a groove 92. The gear 90 is adapted to mesh with a gear 93 on a countershaft 94 which extends into an opening in end plate 26 and the end of which is provided with a slot 96. The countershaft also carries a hub 91 on which is formed a disc 98 which engages groove 92 in collar 9|. The hub 91 carries a pin I00 which passes through gear 93 and engages spaced depressions I02 and a hole I04 which are formed in end plate 26. The countershaft 94 is biased by spring I00 to the right as viewed in Figs. 1, 9 and 10 so that, when pin I00 enters hole I04, the countershaft 94, the hub 91 and hence the collar BI and the comb bar itself are moved to the right as shown in Figs. 1, 9 and 10. The arrangement is such that, when the comb bar is in the position in which its plain surface S faces the thread convolutions, or when the bar is in the position in which only pins 8|, 82 and 83 project between the convolutions, or when the bar is in the position in which pins I2 to II project between the thread convolutions, the pin I00 will engage one of the recesses I02. But, when the comb bar is in the position in which pins 63 to II project between the thread convolutions the pin I00 will engage recess I04 and the comb bar will be moved to the right by spring I06. In the first three positions of the comb bar the pins do not contact the thread convolutions. See Fig. 11. When, however, the comb bar is turned to the fourth position in which the pin I00 enters hole I04, as shown in Fig. 10, and the comb bar is moved to the right, the pins 63 to II will engage and slightly distort adjacent thread convolutions as shown in Fig. 1. In the second and third positions, the pins only serve to prevent bundling or to eliminate any bundle which happens to form between adjacent pins. In the fourth position, the pins have frictional engagement with the adjacent convolutions of the thread and thus act as wipers to remove excess liquids from the thread condischarged through volutions. It will be noted that the pins are so spaced that, when the comb bar is in the position of Figs. 1 and 10, the pins 63 to II will register with the junctions of the various zones on the reel to which the different liquids are delivered. In other words, in the position of Fig. 1, the extreme left hand end pin 63 will be in registration with the center of the slanted edge 5i! of partition 52 so that any liquid wiped oif the thread convolution which is engaged by this pin will fall in the compartment to the left of partition 52 as viewed in Fig. 4. Therefore, if Warm water is delivered from nozzle NI, the excess water will be wiped off by pin 63 just as the thread is passing into the next zone where, for example, an acid solution is being supplied from nozzle N2 so as to minimize dilution of the acid With water. Likewise pin 64 will wipe olf excess acid solution from the thread just as the thread is passing into the next zone where, for example, an alkali solution is being supplied so as to minimize neutralization of the alkali and so onfor pins 64 to H, all as shown in Fig. 1.

The drains 60A may lead to points of ,reclamation or of disposal in any desired manner but, according to the present disclosure, these drains are arranged to empty into pipes P which extend downwardly and project between the filament convolutions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Below the pipes P is atrough I08 which is divided by partitions H0 into a number of compartments adapted to receive the various liquids corresponding pipes P. From the trough 108, the various liquids are led to points of reclamation or of disposal by means of drains I 12.

The pipes P are mounted for vertical movement relative to drains 60A so that pipes P may be raised to an upper position in which their lower ends are above the path of movement of the filament, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and so that pipes P may be lowered to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in which the lower ends of pipes P project between the filament convolutions, also as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By this arrangement, the pipes P can be raised during the winding of the filament about the reel and, after the filament has been wound about the reel to a point slightly to the right of nozzle N9, pipes P can be lowered into the position ofFigs. 1 and 2 in which the lower ends of the pipes P engage the convolutions of the filament and act as further separators and wipers therefor.

The manner in which the pipes P are mounted and the manner in which they are raised and lowered, form no part of the present invention and are therefore not shown nor described in detail.

WhatIclaimis:

1. For use with a thread storing and advancing reel of the type which is adapted to receive a thread to be treated, and which reel includes a first end plate and a second end plate, means for supporting said end plates in axial alignment with each other, a plurality of rolls arranged in a circle about a central axis and having their respective ends journalled in said end plates, and means for rotating said rolls about their axes, the axes of said rolls being skewed relative to said central axis whereby a thread wound about the receiving end of the reel will move, upon rotation of said rolls, in the form of a helix having a number of spaced convolutions, from the receiving end toward the discharge end of the reel, a rod adapted to have its opposite ends journalled in said end plates, a first group, con-1 sisting of a relatively small number of pins car- 7 termined point along said rod remote from said first end of the rod, a second group, consisting of a larger number of spaced, axially aligned pins carried by, and adapted to project radially from a second surface portion of said rod into the spaces between said convolutions, said second group of pins beginning near the first end of the rod and extending axially of said rod to a second predetermined point along the rod which is more remote from the first end of the rod than said first predetermined point, a third group, consisting of a still larger number of spaced, axially aligned pins carried by, and adapted to project radially from, a third surface portion of said rod into the spaces between said convolutions, said third group of pins beginning near the first end of the rod and extending axially of said rod to j a third predetermined point along the rod which is more remote from the first end of the rod than said second predetermined point, said rod having a fourth surface portion which is free of pins and the entire surface of the rod itself being spaced radially inwardly of the path of movement of said convolutions, said rod being rotatable about its axis to a firstposition in which only the first group of pins will project into the spaces between said convolutions, into a second position inwhich only the second group of pins will project into the spaces between said convolutions, to a third position in which only the third group of pins will project into the spaces between the said convolutions, and to a fourth position in which said fourth surface portion will face said convolutions, and means for retaining said rod in any of its four positions.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 in which the second group of pins is in a plane which is substantially at a right angle to the plane of the first and third groups of pins. 3. The structure recited in claim 1 and means operable, upon movement of said rod to its third position, to move said rod axially or" said helix to bring the pins of said third group into engagement with said convolutions.

4. The structure recited in claim 3, in which the thread storing and advancing reel also includes spaced nozzles for applying selected liquids to the thread as it moves through axially spaced zones along the reel, together with a trough below saidnozzles, and partitions dividing said trough into compartments corresponding to and in vertical alignment with said zones, said partitions being in vertical alignment with the junctions of said zones and with said pin when said pins are in engagement with said convolutions.

' j 5. The structure recited in claim 4 in which the upper edges of said partitions are slanted in the directions of adjacent compartments.

HARRY A. KULJIAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,854,040 Junkers Apr. 12, 1932 2,132,753 Nelson Oct. 11, 1938 2,416,535 Naumann Feb. 25, 1947 2,456,120 Fumess Dec. 14, 1948 

